US neurotech startup Think Drinks says it plans to conduct high-calibre peer-reviewed study to prove the benefits of what it claims is the world’s ‘first functional nootropic’ brain beverage.

Think Drinks is the brainchild of co-founders Chris Thompson (whose CV includes a stint at Unilever) and UCLA professor Andrew Hill, who are pitching their nootropic or cognitive-enhancing drink truBrain at 30-45s.

Specifically, truBrain is targeting “high earners who are extremely driven and lead busy lives”, and Think Drinks has finessed different formulations that aim to enhance focus and concentration in ways that “addictive caffeine and sugary energy drinks cannot”.

Tomorrow marks the launch of a new funding drive, as Think Drinks aims to raise $50,000 over 30 days to fund truBrain’s first production run; the premium drink could be priced at $85 for a month’s supply of 22 shots.

CEO Chris Thompson tells BeverageDaily.com that his team and its existing investors are “very excited about innovation in the brain fitness space” – they claim to be launching the first ever functional nootropic beverage.

'Proper brain nourishment' is vital

“To us, brain fitness is continuous pursuit of cognitive optimization through a broad set of factors. Support includes sufficient sleep, physical fitness and exercise, a proper diet, engaging in cognitive challenges, and proper brain nourishment,” Thompson says.

“We admire Lumosity for taking a leadership role in the brain fitness space and providing brain fitness tools from an exercise perspective via software. We believe there is a huge opportunity to tie together device, software and product (nutrition). Our first product here focuses on the nutrition piece,” Thompson adds.

Think Drink’s truBrain drinks are designed to deliver productivity and efficiency through better control over all of the ‘executive’ brain functions, by stimulating blood flow to deliver oxygen and nourishment to the brain.

Working towards 'gold standard' double-blind trial

The company is working through a four-stage research plan that includes a ‘gold standard’, large-scale double blind, placebo controlled trial sufficient for submission to “top-tier academic journals”.

A preliminary small-scale trial with seven participants showed greater parietal activity higher up in the brain – an area used for visualization and directing visual attention – when they had their eyes open and closed, after seven days on truBrain.

The brand has completed this proof-of-concept QEEG (quantitive electro-encephalography trial) that assessed electrical brain waves. Thompson adds, and now aims to do peer-reviewed research “that would be on the calibre of [research appearing in] the New England Journal of Medicine”.

“We also have an MD neurosurgeon and Phd. Fullbright scholar at UCLA who wants to collaborate…on our later-stage studies, in addition to Dr Christoph Michel, who has already done work in this area,” he says.

Think Drinks will offer a caffeinated truBrain for morning consumption, and a non-caffeinated afternoon options to cut the risk of sleep disruption; an extra Turbo Boost shot is designed for use once a week.

“The Turbo Boost is an extra strength product…that is meant to be used once per week, because it would not be possible to have great benefits if it’s taken every day,” Thompson tells this website.

“The body would become accustomed to it (like nicotine, caffeine, sugar, many other things), and it would not work as well over time. That’s why we include four for the month, suggesting one per week,” he adds.